


A Hero By Your Side

by rubylily



Category: Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de aru | Yuki Yuna is a Hero
Genre: F/F, Recovery, Romance, Strength
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 18:36:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4575339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/pseuds/rubylily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Miyoshi Karin had always wanted to be a hero.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hero By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ried (riiiied)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/riiiied/gifts).



Miyoshi Karin had always wanted to be a hero. Protecting her family, saving the world - as long as she had the strength of a hero, she would have nothing to fear. Even if the world was ending, even if these battles would never end, she wanted to keep fighting. Even if she could no longer transform into a Hero, she would keep fighting.

As her body recovered, her life went on as normal. She no longer needed crutches and she could move her arms and legs freely. She went to school as normal, and she attended club as normal. After all, her life had been returned to her. She was no longer a sacrifice for amnesty.

But even she couldn't forget that it had not been so long since that great battle, and recovery was not instant.

"Oh, Karin-chan!" Yuna exclaimed as Karin stepped into the nurse's office. Yuna had nearly fainted in class today, and the teacher had sent her to the nurse to rest, while everyone else had worried endlessly.

Karin sighed as she sat next to Yuna's bedside. "You could at least feel guilty for worrying us so much."

Yuna let out a sheepish giggle. "I'm fine, really! There's nothing to worry about."

"If you say so." Karin handed Yuna her bento. "I figured you'd be hungry."

"Thanks!" Yuna accepted the bento and quickly opened it. "You're the best, Karin-chan!"

Karin's cheeks grew warm, and she could no longer meet Yuna's bright gaze. "It's nothing," she muttered.

Yuna only giggled again, and she turned her attention toward her lunch.

For a while Karin simply watched as Yuna enjoyed her food. Yuna was recovering slowly but surely, and she was using crutches now instead of a wheelchair. Yet she still often came close to fainting, and she had yet to get the hang of using crutches. However, even when she tripped and fell she always smiled and never complained.

Karin clenched her teeth. Was this really the price of being a Hero? Yuna was the strongest of all of them, and yet…

"Karin-chan?" Yuna touched Karin's shoulder, jolting her out of her thoughts. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine," Karin said quickly, and she glanced down at Yuna's nearly empty bento. "You know, just because your sense of taste has returned doesn't mean you have to eat so much. You're just going to make yourself sick."

"But it's so good! I've been out for so long, so there's a lot I have to catch up on!"

A sharp pang struck Karin's heart, and she got back to her feet. "I-I should return to class now!" she forced out as her fingers tensed around her bag.

Yuna grinned. "Thanks for coming, and tell the others I'm sorry for worrying them."

"I will." Karin turned on her heel and inhaled a keep breath. "See you later."

"Take care, Karin-chan."

Karin was still a moment longer, fighting the urge to turn around and see Yuna again, and finally she willed herself to leave the nurse's office.

She had once been a Hero and Yuna was her dearest friend, so why couldn't see do anything more?

* * *

As the days passed, Karin still worked hard to train her body.

This riverbank had become far too familiar to her, and the setting sun stained the water bright shades of orange as the sky rapidly grew darker. Yet she still swung her wooden swords with fervor. She had recovered, but it was not enough. She had to become stronger to be a Hero again, to be strong enough to protect those she loved.

If she could be a Hero again, no one else would have to go through the pain and sacrifice of fighting the Vertex.

"Yuna…!" she breathed as she struck the air with a sharp slash. Why had Yuna sacrificed so much? Was that the price of strength? Was that the price of protecting those she loved? Yuna was a Hero, so why was she still in pain? Karin was nowhere near as strong as Yuna was, and yet here she was, swinging around practice swords.

With a yell Karin lunged forward with her swords held out. She would become stronger, for Yuna's sake.

Thus even as the sun set, she continued to hone her body and mind.

"Karin-chan!"

Karin nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of that bright voice, and as she turned her head, Yuna was slowly trying to make her way down the steps to the riverbank. However, she was still unsteady on her crutches, and her foot slipped.

"Yuna!" Karin dropped her wooden swords and rushed toward Yuna, managing to catch her before she hit the ground. "What are you thinking?"

Yuna laughed as she steadied herself. "I wanted to see you, of course!"

"Damn it, stop being so reckless!" Karin yelled without thinking. "You're still recovering!"

Yuna turned her face away, and her smile vanished. "So are you," she mumbled.

"Well, yeah, but…" Karin chewed her bottom lip and then let out a heavy sigh as she sat upon the steps. "I need to catch my breath."

Yuna sat beside Karin, resting her crutches against herself. "Something on your mind?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you remember the Hero Club tenets?" Yuna laughed. "'If you're troubled, talk to someone'?"

Karin laid her hand over her racing heart and inhaled a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm fine, really. Just a little sore."

"Then will you listen to me?" Yuna's voice was hardly even a whisper.

"Huh? Um, sure…"

Yuna also inhaled a deep breath. "Karin-chan, I'm worried about you. You're training a lot, haven't you?"

"That's it?" Karin tried to force a smile. "I told you, I'm fine. You should be more worried about yourself."

"But you might hurt yourself!" Yuna exclaimed as she seized Karin's hand. "I've been watching you! You're always exhausted, and you've been avoiding me and the others!"

Karin tried to jerk away from Yuna, but Yuna held tight. "I'm just trying to regain my strength!" she yelled, and her heart pounded in her ears. "The Vertex aren't gone for good, and when they come back, I need to be ready to fight!"

"But you're not alone!" Yuna's fingers tightened around Karin's. "We were all Heroes - you, me, Togo-san, Fu-sempai, and Itsuki-chan! If the Vertex come back, we can fight together again, and if there are new Heroes, we can guide them too!"

"Dammit Yuna, you don't understand!" Tears stung at the corners of Karin's eyes. "You've sacrificed enough! You don't need to fight anymore! Don't you realize how worried we all were about you? I would've given anything to have been able to share my strength with you, and… and if I'm strong, I can fight in your place… I want to protect you, because I love-!"

Yuna's eyes went wide. "Karin-chan?"

Karin froze, and her throat was dry. Yet even as her cheeks burned, she could not turn away from Yuna's gaze, and those bright eyes seemed to stare into her very soul.

Finally Yuna laughed and cupped Karin's face with her warm, soft hands. "I'm sorry for worrying you so much, but please have a little faith in me. I want to protect you too, and I know just how strong you are, so if we can be Heroes again, I want to fight by your side."

"Yuna…" was all Karin could bring herself to say.

Yuna leaned in closer to Karin. "And you're my hero, Karin-chan," she whispered as she pressed her lips against Karin's.

Slowly Karin raised her arms to embrace Yuna, and they held the kiss for a while, and Karin did not want to release Yuna, lest she wake up from this dream.

But when they finally did break the kiss, Karin was more certain than ever that this was no dream, and she could not help but laugh. "You really are reckless, Yuna!" she said.

"It's better to be honest, isn't it?" Yuna rested her head against Karin's shoulder. "Thank you, Karin-chan."

Karin put her arm around Yuna's shoulders to pull her closer, and Yuna's warmth was comforting. "I should be the one thanking you," she said softly, unsure if Yuna would even hear her.

For a while the two girls simply watched the sunset, and Karin held Yuna tightly. Karin smiled; as long as she had those dear to her, this was the world she wanted to protect.

Eventually Yuna spoke again, and there was a bright grin upon her lips. "Hey Karin-chan, if you're feeling sore, I can give you one of my massages."

Karin could only blush in response.


End file.
